TEHRAN- Simultaneously with the visit of Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi to Bushehr Province, a 1,000 cubic meter desalination plant in Asaluyeh County was officially inaugurated on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by the Governor of Bushehr and the representative of the counties of Kangan, Dayyer, Jam, and Asaluyeh, aimed at meeting part of the county's water needs.

According to IRNA, the CEO of Bushehr Province Water and Wastewater Company stated at the inauguration ceremony: "This project has been implemented with a final capacity of 5,000 cubic meters of water production per day, of which the first phase – 1,000 cubic meters – has been brought into operation."

Ali Bardestani added: "For this project, 1,000 meters of water transmission pipeline, 1,500 meters of power lines, and a 100-cubic-meter storage reservoir have been constructed. Approximately 4,200 subscribers will benefit from the water produced by this desalination plant."

He noted: "This project has been on the agenda since 2023 (1402), and with the commissioning of its first phase, part of Asaluyeh County's water shortage will be alleviated."

The CEO of Bushehr Province Water and Wastewater Company stated that Asaluyeh faces a drinking water deficit of 237 liters per second, and the newly operational desalination plant will address 58 liters per second of this shortfall.

Bardestani added: "Additionally, considering the county's water needs, a water supply project through wells and eight projects in the areas of water distribution and consumption management are also underway. These measures are collectively planned to reduce and compensate for part of the region's water deficit."

Also, representative of the counties of Dayyer, Kangan, Asaluyeh, and Jam, expressing gratitude to the Energy Minister, the Governor of Bushehr, the Ministry of Energy, and officials of the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone for following up and removing obstacles to the project's implementation, stated: "Asaluyeh, as the industrial heart of the country and one of the most important economic hubs, has faced water supply problems for years."

Hojjatoleslam Sheikh Musa Ahmadi added: "Through follow-ups and cooperation with the Ministry of Energy, Bushehr Governor's Office, and the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, the necessary permits for the Asaluyeh desalination plant were issued, and obstacles regarding the project's power supply were also resolved."

He continued: "The final capacity of the Asaluyeh desalination plant is 5,000 cubic meters per day, and it is expected that, given the needs of the region's population and industries, the production capacity will be increased to 7,000 cubic meters per day in the future."

Ahmadi emphasized: "Ensuring sustainable water supply for the people and industries of Asaluyeh is a fundamental necessity for the county's development, and the commissioning of this project can be an important step in reducing the region's water problems."

Energy Minister Aliabadi, in response to the request made by the representative of Bushehr's southern counties in the Majlis to increase the desalination plant's capacity to 7,000 cubic meters, gave a favorable commitment.

The CEO of Bushehr Province Water and Wastewater Company also announced that construction of the Dayyer desalination plant, with a production capacity of 3,750 cubic meters of water per day, has reached 50% progress and is scheduled to be operational by February 2026 (Bahman 1405).

Ali Bardestani, speaking on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Energy Minister's visit to the project, told IRNA: "For this project, 7,500 meters of water transmission pipeline and 10,000 meters of power transmission lines will be constructed, and the water storage reservoir volume is 400 cubic meters."

The CEO of Bushehr Province Water and Wastewater Company continued: "The water produced by this desalination plant will be delivered to the 10,000-cubic-meter storage reservoir in Deyr County, and the project will cover approximately 30,000 people."

Bardestani stated: "It is estimated that with the commissioning of the Deyr desalination plant, about 7,500 subscriptions will benefit from the project."

Regarding the Siraf desalination plant, he said: "This project is currently operational with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters, and with private sector participation and investment, its production capacity will be increased to 23,000 cubic meters."

The CEO of Bushehr Province Water and Wastewater Company added: "Increasing the capacity of the Siraf desalination plant will play an important role in ensuring and improving the sustainability of drinking water for residents of the region, especially in Jam County."

Bardestani said: "In this regard, suitable facilities have been provided for the private sector investor to accelerate the project's implementation, so that the capacity increase of the Siraf desalination plant can be brought into operation in a timely manner."

He emphasized: "Expanding desalination plant capacity and utilizing private sector capabilities are important strategies for strengthening drinking water supply infrastructure and increasing the sustainability of the water distribution network in various regions of Bushehr Province."

EF/MA